About this episode
The episode discusses the rise of ADHD diagnoses in Africa and the challenges faced by those living with the condition.
Across the globe, diagnoses of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are on the rise, including in Africa. An estimated 7% of children and adolescents on the continent are living with the condition, and doctors in Nigeria and Kenya told the BBC that they have seen a notable increase in diagnoses in recent years. This surge is partly attributed to the rapid spread of information about ADHD on social media, which has helped raise awareness. However, clinicians also caution that misinformation online is contributing to a growing trend of self-diagnosis. So what does it really mean to live with ADHD in Africa, and what barriers exist when it comes to accessing proper medical care? We hear from 29-year-old Siham Azeroual from Morocco, who is living with both ADHD and autism. Presenter : Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Basma El Atti and Fana Negash Technical Producer: Davis Mwasaru Senior Producer: Priya Sippy Editor: Maryam Abdalla
People in this episode
Host: Nkechi Ogbonna
Guest: Siham Azeroual
Topics covered
- ADHD
- mental health
- Africa
- self-diagnosis
- medical care
- awareness
Keywords
- ADHD
- Africa
- mental health
- self-diagnosis
- medical care
- awareness
- autism
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: BBC, Nigeria, Kenya
More episodes of Focus on Africa
- Is the internet dividing men and women? · June 12, 2026 · 23 min
- Africa's World Cup dream: controversy and opportunity · June 11, 2026 · 23 min
- DRC: How armed conflict is affecting Ebola response · June 10, 2026 · 23 min
- Nigeria: Freed from Boko Haram · June 9, 2026 · 23 min
- African prisoners of war in Ukraine · June 8, 2026 · 23 min
- ‘More than my ovaries’: Redefining PCOS · June 5, 2026 · 23 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Focus on Africa podcast page.